Illinois bans police use of ticket quotas (VIDEO)

Illinois police departments may no longer assign ticket quotas or evaluate officers based on how many tickets they issue, thanks to a law signed by Governor Pat Quinn on Sunday. Quinn says the legislation will strengthen law enforcement by allowing police to use their own judgment rather than pressuring them to issue citations unnecessarily.

“Law enforcement officers should have discretion on when and where to issue traffic citations and not be forced to ticket motorists to satisfy a quota system,” Quinn argues. “This new law will improve safety and working conditions for police officers and prevent motorists from facing unnecessary anxiety when they encounter a police vehicle.”

The legislation was sponsored by Rep. Jay Hoffman of St. Louis. “Arbitrary quotas on the number of tickets that have to be issued by police officers undermines the public trust in the police departments’ priorities,” says Hoffman. “By eliminating these quotas, we can restore that trust and ensure that police officers are free to do their job protecting the public.”

The bipartisan measure enjoyed popular support and passed both Illinois houses with overwhelming majorities. Only nine representatives and one senator voted against its passage.